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Religion

One hallmark of the American experience captured in the Museum's collections is the nation's broad diversity of religious faiths. Artifacts range from Thomas Jefferson's Bible to a huge "Sunstone" sculpture carved for a Mormon temple in Illinois in 1844 to a household shrine from the home of a Pueblo Indian in the 1990s. Furniture, musical instruments, clothing, cooking ware, and thousands of prints and figures in the collections have all played roles in the religious lives of Americans. The most comprehensive collections include artifacts from Jewish and Christian European Americans, Catholic Latinos, Protestant Arab Americans, Buddhist and Christian Asian Pacific Americans, and Protestant African Americans. One notable group is the Vidal Collection of carved figures known as santos and other folk religious material from the practice of Santeria in Puerto Rico.

Reproduction of a drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, after a 16th c. codex: a goddess wearing a headdress, a nose ring, and carrying two unidentified objects in her hands. She has a long, wide tail of jade, where images of tricksters are imprinted. Translation of caption at bottom of card: "She of the skirt of jades / Goddess of the waters." Unmailed card, no message, no postmark.

Reproduction of a drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, after a 16th c. codex. The god wears a feather headdress and tail along with his costume. Translation of caption at bottom of card: "Smoking mirror / God of Providence." Bourbon Codice, Lam. 22. Unmailed card, no message, no postmark.

Reproduction of a color drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, after a 16th c. codex, depicting Tonatiuh, the God of the sun. He kneels on one leg, holds an eagle in the air with one hand, and a shield of some sort in the other. Translation of caption at bottom of postcard: "He who gives light / God of the Sun." Bourbon Codex, Lam. 6. Unmailed, no message, no postmark.

Reproduction of a drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, after a 16th c. codex. depicting the god of song, dance and music. This figure appears to have the head of a coyote, the animal that represents this god. Translation of caption at bottom of card: "Old Coyote / God of the Song, Dance and Music." Bourbon Codice, Lam. 4. Unmailed card, no message, no postmark.

Reproduction of a drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, made after a 16th c. codex, depicting a hummingbird god holding a serpent in one hand and a shield in the other, with a feather headdress. Translation of the caption at the bottom of the card: "God of the Aztecs and of War / Humming bird from the South." Codice Borbonico, Lam 34. Unmailed card, no message, no postmark.

Reproduction of a drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, after a 16th c. codex, depicting Tlaloc, the Aztec rain god. He wears a feather headdress and costume with a long tail and carries unidentified objects in his hands. The caption and illustration indicate he is also a patron of farming and agriculture. Translation of caption at bottom of card: "God of the Rain / He who causes the rains and growth of vegetation." (Bourbon Codice. Lam. 7). Unmailed card, no message, no postmark.

Reproduction of a drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, after a 16th c. codex. Illustration of Quetzalcoatl wearing a headdress that resembles a bird, with a mask that includes a beak. He holds a serpent in one hand and an unidentified object in the other. Translation of caption at bottom of card: "The quetzal feather snake / God of the wind." (Bourbon Codice, Lam. 22).

Reproduction of a drawing by Miguel Covarrubias, after a 16th c. codex: an Aztec god wearing an elaborate feather headdress, holding a shield in one hand and an unidentifiable object in the other. Translation of caption at bottom of the postcard: "Our Lord Flayed / God of gold smiths." (Bourbon Codice, Lam. 14). Unmailed card, no message, no postmark.